Fold down desk

Things You've Made
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Or, it could be some very complicated firewood, we’ll see.

I thought it might be a good idea to make a workspace for the kids that they can draw at or start to learn how to use a computer.

I took my “inspiration” from these designs:

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Whipped up something in fusion and used my stash of offcuts of 3/4 birch ply.

This is my progress so far - attached to the garage wall using a French cleat and given a coat of interior varnish.

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The hinges for the worktop work well I think so I’m going to get another pair and make a fold out bit like an awning with an LED strip embedded in it. After that I want to source a screen and build into into a bezel.

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A really interesting project. Thanks for sharing. Personally I’d do it like the top right version, because I trust it to hold the kids’s weight, do you think the hinges will do so?

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Who knows! They seem ok, not ‘I can sit on it’ strong but the way they fold when you put weight on it pushes back so the pressure on the screws is lateral not pulling straight down.

I wanted to include ‘stays’ but the ones I bought were actually gas strut springs which are no good in this application.

I’ll go back and buy these:

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What I have already are these:

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Which aren’t bi-stable - they just spring struts

To be honest I liked the top right too but couldn’t model it :disappointed:

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I can try to give it a shot later, looks doable. :slightly_smiling_face:

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What about a fixed angle hinge built into the sides and drop down front? Something like this?

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No need for the fixings then?

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That’s what the picture we both like also shows. :slightly_smiling_face:

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That one looks like a full circle, relying solely on the horizontal panel in the cabinet to restrain the moving panel in the horizontal position.

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You are right. It’s too early in the morning. :sweat_smile:

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Interesting, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one like that before - thankyou. That’s food for thought indeed.

I’m gonna need some more offcuts and the other one could indeed be destined to be firewood.

1 Like